The Best Thing Since Training Wheels

And Levi LOVES it! Rylan, one of Levi’s friends that lives across the street from us, just got a regular bicycle (with training wheels) for his second birthday. Levi has been eyeing it big time, but even though Rylan is willing to share, Levi’s not big enough to reach the pedals. Instead of riding with the big boys, he’s stuck on the sidelines 🙁

That’s where the SRIDER balance bike comes in. I’m pretty sure I might have been more excited than Levi when the box was delivered to our door. It was super easy to set up and didn’t require any tools other than a knife to get the box open. I made sure to actually follow the directions, and it only took me about 5-10 minutes to set it up so Levi could try it out.

Instead of using pedals to propel forward and training wheels for balance, the STRIDER bike lets kids use their own two legs to balance and ride. I love that it helps kids work on their coordination to move the bike forward, while helping them learn balance as they pick up their feet to start cruising.

At only 6.4 lbs., the STRIDER is still manageable for Levi, which I think it especially important when learning to ride a bike. My son is like me – fairly reckless and accident prone, so knowing that the bike isn’t going to land on him and crush him with its weight definitely gives me some peace of mind. The 6.5 lbs. of materials are no joke, though. I weight about 150 lbs., and I didn’t break it when I tried it out (NOTE: The bike VERY CLEARLY states that 60 lbs. is the weight limit, but come on, I bet you knew I was going to try riding it before you even finished reading the first paragraph of this review.)

I’m very happy that the STRIDER gives you a lot of bang for your buck, so to speak. The seat and the handlebars are both easily adjustable, and it’s designed to fit kids age 1-5. I think 5 years old is kind of stretching it, though, unless you purchase the Extra Long Seatpost Saddle. Kellan, Rylan’s big brother, is almost 5 and even at it’s biggest settings, the standard STRIDER was too small for him to comfortably ride. But Rylan, who just turned two, had no problem hopping on once we adjusted the seat back down. I’m guessing Levi will be able to use it for at least two more summers, unless he hits a major growth spurt.

Speaking of size, that was definitely one thing that frustrated Jason and I when we were looking at bikes for Levi. Even the smallest ones we found we too big for him – he’s only in the 7th percentile for height for his age, so most bikes have pedals that are too far for him to reach. Rylan’s bike (the red on pictured above) has pedals that are still a good two inches away from Levi’s feet when he climbs up on it.

The STRIDER doesn’t have that issue, since there are no pedals to reach. As long as I keep the seat adjusted properly, Levi can plant his feed on the ground for balance. Now Levi can grab his helmet and his bike and play with the big kids!

You can purchase STRIDER balance bikes online or at a local authorized dealer. Be sure to check them out on Twitter and follow them on Facebook to hear about exciting features and promotions. You can even check out their balance bikes in action on their YouTube channel.

How Old Were Your Kids When They Got Their First Bike?

Disclosure: STRIDER sent me this awesome balance bike for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. And please don’t tell them that I tested it out myself, since there are warning labels that say specifically NOT to do that on the box. And the bike. And the instructions.

This would be great from my 21 month old daughter. We have the Red Flyer little bike that has what I guess you would call built in training wheels, but even at its smallest setting it is way too big for her, so she just pushes it around.

My 5 year old rides a 2 wheeler and actually rode his first 10 mile race about a month ago. Little bro 1 year old loves bikes as much as BIG bro. I think this bike will be a first great step toward riding for real. I bet I go get one of these next year! Thanks for the review!!